I know you
by Insert a Catchy Penname Here
Summary: Mike was a sweetheart. But so was Jayden. Then why did I feel something new?
1. Training

I know you 1

The sun _so _didn't match my mood that morning.

I yanked my curtains closed and tried to find warmth in my bed. It was late fall, and somebody had turned on the A.C. And, lucky me, that just so happened to be right above my bed. I'm cute and bubbly 99% of the time, and that I love being. But the other 1% I can be a real pain. That doesn't show up except for in the mornings before I go outside.

I can't say I make sense. But that's okay. Everybody has a right to be dead in the mornings, right? Right.

But on that day I was just a dead person. I had no energy and my eyes were bleary. Maybe it was because I had just gotten my spirit stolen the day before. I wondered if any of the others felt the same, or if I was just tired from all of that then from the amazing party.

Whatever the reason, I was just a bum. It didn't last long, though. I heard my door creak open softly as I snuggled in my sheets.

"Em?"

Jayden.

He was my boyfriend. And ever since we decided to be a couple, my life couldn't have been better. He was mysterious and quiet, yet kind, caring, and a loving leader. The blonde peered into my room and tapped the wall.

"You awake in here?" he asked.

"Hmp," I replied, thinking _I love you, but _please _go away. _

He took that as a yes and came inside. The boy sat on my bed edge and shook me gently. As a response, I threw a pillow at him.

"Oh, come on now, Emily," he protested, "it's nine o' clock. I'm ready to train with you."

"Go away," I mumbled, curling up even further.

"Fine," he huffed.

I thought I heard him walk out, but I knew him. He wasn't one to give up so easily. My warmth and sleep ended about a minute later when my covers were pulled off. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground looking into Jayden's blue-gray eyes. He'd pulled me and my covers off the bed.

"You creep!" I laughed, pushing him off.

"Live with it, Sleeping Beauty," he replied in a laugh.

I put my hand into his massive one, and like that I was on my feet. We two exited my room and headed into the kitchen.

"Ah, so the beast has risen," Mike grinned at me.

"Oh, shut up," I laughed, pushing him gently.

After eating a couple of pieces of toast and getting dressed, I followed Jayden outside. He was good at sword play, but I could match it. Our swords were a blur as we dueling for training. Suddenly, I was spun around. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, sword at my neck.

"Nice," he panted, "but you have to do better than that."

I got to my feet and rubbed my neck. He'd pressed down a little too hard, and now I felt sore. He noticed and asked to see it.

"Oh," he looked uncomfortable, "sorry, Emily. I didn't mean.."

"I'm okay," I assured him, "just a little bruise. Besides, I have had a lot worse things happen to me."

Just as I finished my last word, Mike came outside. He began to train with a dummy, and I felt bad. The others were already training, and he was the odd man out.

"I'm going to go train with Mike," I told Jay, "that okay?"

"Sure," Jayden shrugged, "I'll go train with Antonio and Wesley."

The three were childhood friends, so I didn't feel too guilty about leaving him. Mike smiled as I came up to him.

"Want to train?" I asked, offering him a sword.

"Sure," he shrugged, though I knew by his eyes he was much more eager to train with me.

He was really good. But when we went at a pressing match, I sent him into a bush.

"Mike!" I rushed over to him, guilty and worried, "are you okay?"

"Yeah," he held his arm where a bush had gotten it, "I'm okay."

But I saw the scratches and blood.

"Let me help you," I offered, trying to take his arm.

"No thanks, I'm fine," he protested.

"Mike!" I chased him inside. The boy didn't want help, but he was going to get it anyway.

I caught him and pulled him by his other arm to his seat. From there I tried to tend his wound with a bandage wrap.

"Ack!" he tried to pull away from the burning liquid.

"Hold still!" I struggled to finish pouring it.

But he jerked up, and it ended up in my face. I cried, trying to keep it out my eyes. I succeeded, but it stung the place where Jayden had bruised my neck. Gritting my teeth, I wrapped the bandage around his wound.

"Emily, are you okay?" he asked me, worried for me.

"Yeah," I spat out the stuff, "I've still had worse."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," I stood up to change my shirt, "I'm fine."

As I headed for my room, I felt fuzzy. Mike was a sweetheart, but so was Jayden. Then why did I feel something new?


	2. Skating with Green

I know you 2

After addressing my bruise and my blouse, I jogged back outside. I was a Samurai, so I had to be strong. I noticed Mia and Kevin training, so I decided to watch for a minute.

Mia swung her sword butt into Kevin's ribs, and he doubled over. I saw the trick coming, but she didn't. My friend went in for a flip, but he grabbed her waist and held her upside down.

"Match!" she puffed.

He set her down, but she pulled him down with her. The two laughed before gazing into each other's eyes.

"Kiss already!" I called after a minute.

They scrambled up and went back to training. Snickering, I headed for Jayden. They were so much alike. If only they could figure it out and tell each other already. Mia didn't know what the first kiss was like yet, so I wanted only to hurry it up. Every girl deserves that chance.

"Hey, Em," my boyfriend paused whacking his dummy to speak with me, "you changed."

"Yeah," I smiled at him, "Mike spilled some liquid on me."

"Oh, no," he shook his head, "what are we going to do with that boy?"

"I don't know," I laughed, "now, stop whacking that dummy and train with somebody who fights back."

An hour walked by before we finished. I was sweaty like everybody else, so we all sat around the fan. I was glad for the A.C now, unlike earlier. Going up against Jayden to Mike to Jayden then Mike some more then finishing with Jayden took up energy.

"I made lunch," Mia announced, showing us some PB and J sandwhichs with mustard and rice on them.

We all tried not to gag. Mia's an amazing friend, but she is a terrible cook. When Mia wasn't looking, we threw our food out of the window. She smiled at us, believing we ate it, and headed to our room. Wesley slipped us some Hershey bars from his secret stash I know about, so we weren't too hungry.

"Hey, Em?" Mike came to me, "I'm heading to the scating rink. Want to come?"

"Sure," I shrugged, but I know I can't skate worth a flip.

None the less, we two friends headed out together. At the rink, I struggled into my skates and inched to the circle. People skated happily, falling down and holding hands.

"Come on," Mike took my hand in his, "this will be a learning experience."

I totally sucked. My feet kept jerking everywhere, and I lost count of how many times I fell on my back. Mike, on the other hand, was amazing. He had perfect balance as he glided over the ring. As I watched him, my heart skipped a beat. He was so nice and handsome, plus strong and caring.

"Hey, Emily!" Mike's voice brought me out of my thoughts, "come over here. We came to skate, not to watch other people skate."

"No thanks," I replied, "I'm no good."

But he was stubborn and persistant. I found myself back on the rink in a heartbeat, my hand in Mike's. He helped me skate, and caught me if I fell or slipped. (Which I did quite often.) His hands never left my body, so I finally began to relax.

By the time our time was up, I could skate around the rink once on my own without falling over every time I put a foot in front of my other. We left relaxed and laughing. He was _so _funny, and that smile was so cunning and trusting.

"How was it?" Jayden asked as we came back inside.

"Wonderful," I grinned to him.

"Well, we'd better get to bed," Mike stretched, "Ji will have our heads if we're tired in the morning."

"Right," Jayden kissed my cheek, "goodnight, baby."

I tensed for just a second. I didn't understand why, and Jayden looked more confused. He left, still looking perplexed, so I told Mike goodnight and strode to bed. I couldn't sleep at all. I kept thinking about Jayden and Mike over and over again.

Jayden was my boyfriend, and I could see the love in his eyes when he looked at me. But Mike was super charming and sweet. Did he love me, too? But if they both loved me, which one would I chose? I knew Mike had another girl he liked from the summer named Lily, but could he be drifting from her?

Shaking my head, I rose and decided to talk to the person who I always could. Slipping quietly outside into the garden, I opened my samuraizer and dialed a number I knew all too well.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Serena," I told my big sister, "can we talk?"


	3. Would she?

I know you 3

I knew Emily was bothered by something. I could see it in her eyes and by her fidgeting. The following morning, she stared at her breakfast, deep in thought.

"Em?" I asked, "are you alright?"

"Oh….yeah," she nodded slightly, but I knew she was hiding something.

"What are you hiding from me?" I asked.

"Nothing," she snapped, which surprised me. She never snaps at anyone.

Sighing, she exited the room for the garden. Moments later, I heard her playing her flute. Something was up. She'd been hanging around Mike a lot the last few days, and this worried me. She almost looked…uncomfortable when she was with me. I was beginning to smell trouble.

"Hey, Mike?" I called to my fellow ranger.

"Yeah, Jay?" he looked at me from his toast.

"Do you…like Emily?" I asked, curious to know his response.

"Um…" he squirmed, which I can't really blame him, "yes."

I stared at him. Really, I hadn't prepared myself for what I'd do if he said yes. Emily was my girlfriend. She had been for about a mouth now. But now that Mike liked her…what would that mean to us? Could it be she liked him, too? It was possible they'd kissed at the skating rink.

"I'm sorry," he stuttered, "it's just…she's so cute and smart…"

"Yeah," I stepped a little closer to him, "but that's not the only reason I love her."

"And…and she's sweet and innocent, and she's so strong…" he stammered, looking afraid of me.

I was in his face now. My anger was going higher and higher. Emily was _my _girlfriend, and he was _not _stealing her from me.

"Just back off," I snarled, "or I'll get angry. You won't like me when I'm angry."

With that, I stormed off. Mike sure had some nerve. Trying to steal her from me…Suddenly, a thought hit me like a boulder. Emily had been acting really kindly toward him recently. Could it be she liked him? Then what would I do?

But Emily wouldn't just leave me…would she?


	4. You're what?

I know you 4

"Mike, are you okay?"

Emily's sweet voice broke me free from my unconscience state. I had been training all day solo while the others went off with their dates. Sweat dampened my body as my muscles cried.

"Yeah," I wiped a glob of sweat off of my forehead, "I've been training…all day."

"You're overdoing it," she helped me on my feet, "let me take care of you."

This time I didn't protest. She laid me in my bed and massaged my back. I sighed as she applied a cool cloth to my face. Boy, that felt _good. _

"Need any help?" Jayden stood in the doorway.

"You're a sweetie, Jay," Emily smiled to him.

I tensed as she took a break to wipe her own forehead. He walked on over and sat beside her.

_Great. Now I'm going to have to go into intensive care. _I thought as he put his hands on me.

But he didn't hurt me. He rubbed the sore areas and made my body relax. And no, we're not gay. He was just helping out his girlfriend.

"Thanks," she kissed his cheek before holding my hand, "get better for me."

"Alright," I mumbled, my weariness turning to exhaustion.

"Well, I'm not sticking around," Jayden stopped massaging.

He began to leave. Just as I was about to drop into a deep slumber, he spoke to me from the doorway. "Hey, and Mike?"

Oh, no.

"I've thought about it," he told me, "and made a conclustion."

_I'm a dead man, _I thought.

"Emily's just as confused as we are," he told me, "so we must give her time to choose. And I'm okay with whatever she chooses. If it's you, I'll recover from my heartbreak. She is amazing, you know. But I'll find another. As for you…well, a match like Emily doesn't just throw itself at you."

I couldn't believe my ears. He was…_okay _with his girlfriend moving on?

"What did you do to my ears?" I asked him in disbelief.

"Nothing," he chuckled, "my outburst was not acceptable. You need love, my man. And, if anybody, Emily's the right one for you."

With that, he was gone.

I laid back down and stared at the ceiling. Sleep wasn't an option for my thoughts, but my eyelids were sinking lower. I hoped that Jayden would be okay and that she would be too. I also hoped that Lily wouldn't kill me if I said I'd found another.

But most of all, I hoped that they would always be my friends.


	5. Remember me

I know you 5

I was totally calm about Emily liking Mike.

No, not really.

As the leader of the team, however, I must stay focused and concentrated. I couldn't just let love get in the way of the team's job. After telling Mike all was well, I laid in my bed. Sleep was no option, so I thought about my training and new plans.

Anything but Emily. So, of course, I thought about her.

By the time dawn came around, I was tired and half dead. It took Wesley, Antonio, _and _Kevin to get me up. So, I promptly fell asleep, nearly drowing in my cercal bowl.

"Are you alright?" Kevin asked me.

Spitting out a Frosted Flake, I said, "Tired, but fine."

Emily avoided me all day again. She trained with Mike, Mia, Kevin, and everybody else. But she never came around to me. This didn't look good for our love. So much for buying her that cupcake. Sigh.

The whole Emily-likes-Mike thing went on for the next week. I finally began to stop trying to be with her and started to hang with Mia. She was really graceful and beautiful, but my heart longed for that smiley, cute hazel eyed blonde. Mike was happier than he'd been before, so I tried to be too.

Some things weren't meant to be.

Sigh.

But that next Monday, I heard a sound that broke my heart. Crying. And it was coming from Emily's room. Knocking on the door softly, I pressed my ear to the frame.

"Who is it?" a shaky voice asked.

"Jayden," I replied, "can I come in?"

Silence.

Just as I was about to walk away, I heart a soft, "Yes."

I was greeted by the sight of Emily on her bed, a box of tissues beside her, tears going down her face. I came over to her and sat on her bed edge.

"What happened?" I asked her, my concern high.

"Jay," she took a shaky breath, "I just…Mike and I….there's something wrong…and with you…I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"That you won't want me anymore," she sniffed, "I mean…Mike's such a sweetheart. But so are you. I just…I just don't know…"

She broke down again. I held her quivering body, thus getting my shirt wet. But I really couldn't care less. Emily was crying. So I was going to hold her. She needed to feel secure, and I was open to do it. She needed to know it was alright.

"Em," I stroked her blonde hair, "I know it's hard. But everything will work out in the end. I promise you of that. And whatever you choose, it will be alright with me."

"You mean," she didn't lift her head, "that if I choose Mike…you won't be mad?"

"I promise," I gave her a squeeze, "it'll be what it will be."

She was pretty shaken up, so I began to sing to her.

_You're amazing in every way, _

_and you never deserve to pay. _

_The smile on your face makes me smile, _

_You can light up the darkest room. _

_You have a heart of gold, _

_And the loving like a fountain. _

_You beam with niceness and innocence, _

_And I have no doubt you can climb a mountain. _

_Some lucky guy will find you, _

_And he will be in love. _

_I know this for a fact _

_Because I know this feeling. _

_So, go ahead and choose, _

_My heart will mend, _

_But if you ever want a friend, _

_I'll always be here to give you support. _

_Emily, I only want you to be happy, _

_And so I will be too, _

_Just remember me, if you will, _

_For the man who loved you. _

I don't where that came from. I guess I had to let my heart do the talking. She looked at me and embraced me.

"I will always remember you," she mumbled into my shirt, "and I know now who I want."

Author Note: Jemily or Memily? Oh, it's all so suspenseful!


	6. Why

I know you 6

"Who is that?" he asked, and I knew he was terrified.

Before I could answer, Mike came in.

"Em, are you…" he began, but he stopped when he saw Jay.

"She's choosing," Jay informed him, "sit!"

Mike did quickly. Before I could say my choice, Mike's samuraizer rang. He listened for a moment, then replied, "Yeah…I'm not sure…"

He listened for a minute, then replied, "I don't right now. Let me think about it."

More listening. "I'm pretty sure, but Emily…"

Another listening.

"You know what? I've made up my mind. Let me tell her."

He hung up, then faced me.

"Em, I really like you," he said, "but I believe that Lily is the right one for me. She is so much alike me and funny. And…and she loves me, too."

Silence hung in the air. Lily was Mike's other friend, and to hear that, I wasn't shocked. I hadn't been surprised that for that because I had met her. She was Mike's dream girl. I finally decided that it was Mike that was confused between me and Lily.

I somehow knew that he wanted her. He had once liked me, and wasn't sure if he still did that way.

But he decided on Lily.

And I made a choice myself.

"That's great," I finally spoke, "because I've decided that Jayden is the man of my dreams."

More silence.

"I guess this was meant to happen," Mike began to smile, "the loves of our lives have been there the entire time."

"Yeah," I hugged my friend, "friends forever, right?"

"Right."

He called Lily and told the news. I heard her scream in delight over the phone.

"See you two lovers later," Mike was grinning as he exited for her girlfriend.

Jayden looked at me.

"I'm sorry," I felt silly for ever doubting our love, "I was stupid. You are my dream, Jay. And I hope you'll forgive me. It's just…Mike's confusion made me confused. If he liked me, I didn't know if I would like him too. All the time I spent with him…it was like seeing if we could figure it out."

More staring.

"Jay, I'm…" I began, but I stopped when he kissed me.

"I understood," he embraced me, "and it's okay."

"I love you," I mumbled, my head resting against his chest.

"I love you, too," he muttered as he held me, "and you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because," he looked at me with those eyes of blue, "I knew you were just scared. I knew you were only trying to make things right. And anybody like that…it was her destiny to be with me. And you sure fit that."

It was almost like he knew we were meant to be. And, deep in my heart, I knew it, too. We were together again…and now I knew why: It was our destiny.


	7. It is what it is

I know you 7

Well, Lily and I were boyfriend and girlfriend. The moment we saw each other after we decided, we kissed, danced, and screamed. We always knew this day was coming somehow. Destiny, Emily claims. She's pretty and awesome, but Lily just is my match.

Not that I mind.

And Jayden and I are still best buds. Emily and I are tight friends, so I'm happy. Things are good for now.

XXXXXXXXX

Emily was my girlfriend. And we admitted we loved each other. I acted calm. The truth? I wanted to scream and dance and do cartwheels. But that would make Emily have second thoughts, I was sure. So I kept a straight face.

About a week later, Mike and Lily went out on a date. Emily insisted we should do a double date, so that's what we did. We chose a romantic comedy, so I lost count of how many times I kissed Em.

She was so amazing.

As we left the movie, I had my arm over her shoulders. She was wearing a lavender dress with white trim, and the moonlight hit her perfectly. It was like looking at an angel.

I just had to kiss her one more time.

XXXXXXXXX

Jay forgave me and I had friends. Life could be worse.

After the movies that night, I hit the sack. So did Jayden and Mike.

"How was it?" Mia inquired.

"Amazing," I sighed.

The following day, I walked outside to see Jayden and Mike training. They were still the best of friends, so my silly thoughts hadn't changed that. I guess friends like them are forever.

I was proud of them.

"Hey," Jayden waved as they took a break, "you look nice."

Well, I was wearing a pink sundress. I'll admit it, I am a flirt. Smiling, I handed them both glasses of pink lemonade.

"A toast," Mike raised his glass, "to love."

"And friendship," I added with a proud beam to them.

"Forever," Jayden finished as we clinked glasses.

As I brought the drink closer to my mouth, I lost my grip. When I tried to grab it, I knocked it into Jayden. But dodged it, thus not making it look like he'd wet his pants.

"Wow," I picked up the cup, "how did you know that would happen?"

"Because I know you," he smiled at me.

We sure did know each other. But even he didn't know I was going to take Mike's drink and pour it on his head. And as they chased me, I couldn't help but laugh.

Boys will be boys. Girls will be girls. And our destiny will be our destiny.

And that was just fine with me.

Author Note: Okay, spoiler for **We have to do what now?. **Oh, well. Hope you liked this fanfic, and R and R, and Authors Together, Writing Forever!


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